Holes in the Sky
by hylianndreamer
Summary: You have to be pretty dumb to take two strangers under your wing and promote them as tacticians of your militia roughly twenty minutes later. Right ? Well... Just another re-telling of Fire Emblem: Awakening, with both Avatars as twin siblings.
1. Chapter 1: Black

Dreams are a weird thing. People have trouble understanding them, explaining them, remembering them. They often don't make sense on hindsight, yet when you're in a dream, you don't question it. You aren't even likely to realize you're in a dream.

For instance, she should have wondered why she was so good at what she was doing - she wasn't supposed to be so good with magic, she wasn't supposed to be as skilled as someone who'd done nothing but fight for the past years. She also should have wondered who it was she was fighting, why she felt such an important tie binding them and yet she knew for a fact she - or they - had to take him down, and now. Wait, they ? Ah, yes. She should definitely have wondered who this man was - the one that was relentlessly struggling by her side, and for some reason, she had to protect him by all means. For some reason, in her dream, she didn't hesitate to jump in front of him to take their opponent's final strike for him. For some reason, she felt extremely relieved and happy to see him rushing towards her, unharmed. For some reason, she felt panicked beyond reason when a piercing headache stroke and her limbs stopped responding. For some reason, there was nothing more horrifying to her than watching helplessly as her own magic pierced through his body. For some reason, she felt all willpower leave her as he assured her he knew this wasn't her fault and begged her to get out of here before he hit the ground, lifeless, as she heard a sinister laugh and her mind went blank.

Then, there was darkness. Unconsciousness. Nothingness.

No memories, no feelings, no thoughts.

* * *

{*}


	2. Chapter 2: Fighter

She felt at peace, cut off from the world. But fortune wanted to play tricks on her apparently, because the world was obviously trying to bring her back into it. Tall strands of grass were tickling what little skin she had bare and the warm breeze was inviting. She could also see through her eyelids it was a sunny day, probably just after noon since the source of light seemed to be right above her head. You should probably get up, she thought to herself. But she decided to wait. Wait for a reason to get up or for her senses to completely wake up - she wasn't sure herself. She wasn't exactly thinking straight yet. She was only conscious enough to register footsteps, and soon after, voices.

"Chrom, we have to do something !" a girl's voice pressed eagerly, and she could tell the girl was right next to her.

"What do you propose we do?" a man's voice answered, as clueless as the first one, but more composed.

"I don't know," the first admitted, seeming to be a step or two farther than she had been originally. Confused and concerned, she carefully opened her eyes, blinking repeatedly before she finally got use to the sunlight.

"I see you're awake now," the man's voice said. She looked up at him. Was he talking to her ? Was she what he and the younger girl were intending on doing something about ? Wasn't she fine sunbathing in the tall grass ? Was that even what she was doing ?

She looked around quickly - or at least, as quickly as her foggy mind and body allowed her. There was a figure lying next to her - another man, with whitish-silver hair and the same confused expression she was probably wearing. He was stirring too, and the girl - or at least, she assumed it was the same girl she heard speaking - was checking if he was okay. Somehow, she knew this man's name - Robin. He was her brother. Her twin brother.

"There are better places to take a nap than on the ground, you know." Her attention shifted back to the blue-haired man who still had his gaze fixed on her. To look at him, she had to stare right next to the sun, and therefore couldn't do so without her eyes narrowing considerably, and yet, despite her reduced vision, there was something faintly familiar about this man - not quite like Robin, who she knew - but still rather odd, especially since she couldn't seem to recall where she was and what she was doing there.

"Give me your hand," he offered, extending an open palm toward her. She took it, more by reflex than because she wanted to, momentarily taken aback by the weird marking coloring the back of her right hand. That wasn't supposed to be there, was it ?

Her helper must have thought she would be much heavier than she actually was, because he pulled her up with such strength - not only did she not need to make an effort whatsoever, but she was also slightly yanked forward once she was on her feet, leaving only a couple of inches of distance between the two of them. She took a step back as soon as she was certain she had her full balance, before she broke the eye contact to brush some dirt off of herself and note that she was wearing the very same clothes she had seen on her brother a few seconds sooner. Turning to see he was now standing as well, they locked eyes for a split second and it seemed to her like they just had an entire conversation just by crossing each other's sight. I know you, you know me. We don't know them.

"You two all right ?" the man said, taking a step back as well so he could also somewhat face both siblings. That's when she noticed a third figure a few feet behind, clad in heavy armor and harboring a serious expression. Are we safe or in danger ? Again, she reported her attention to the man who'd helped her up, and his name popped up in her mind. Safe, I think.

"Y-yes... Thank you, Chrom," she replied, managing a smile.

"Ah, then you know who I am?" he retorted, his eyes shifting back and forth between her and Robin. Was that surprise in his voice ? Or disappointment ?

"No, actually, I... It's strange..." she stuttered. "Your name, it just..."

"Came to me," Robin completed, taking a short step to get closer to her.

"You too?" she asked him, as surprised as the other three seemed to be.

"Yes, it just popped in my head, out of nowhere," he tried explaining, more to her than to the others.

"...Hmm, how curious," Chrom interrupted, eyes narrowing. "Tell me, what are your names ? What brings the two of you here ?"

"My name is..." she tried, thinking hard. "It's..."

"Roxanne," Robin said with a small, reassuring smile directed at her. She turned to him, shocked. Now that he had pronounced it - she knew. Of course. Her name was Roxanne - it seemed obvious. Yet she couldn't seem to recall just a few seconds ago. Again, when their eyes met, she could almost hear him talk to her in her head. Tell me what my name is. I know that you know. I can't remember either.

"And you are ?" Chrom directed at the male sibling, slightly taken aback by the way he had presented Roxanne in her place.

"My brother, Robin," Roxanne introduced, unable to return Robin's smile for she was too overwhelmed by what was going on.

"Do you not know your own names?" the blue-haired man asked, confusion -or suspicion?- visibly taking over his features.

"I'm not sure..."

"I couldn't recall..."

"But now it's clear..."

"I'm sorry, but where are we, exactly ?"

"Hey, I've heard of this !" The blond girl stepped in almost excitedly. "It's called amnesia!"

"It's called a load of pegasus dung," the third figured disagreed. "We're to believe you remember milord's name, but not your own?"

"B-but it's the truth!" Roxanne argued, half-helplessly, half-fiercely.

"What if it IS true, Frederick?" Chrom turned to the knight -Frederick, apparently. "We can't just leave them here, alone and confused. What sort of Shepherds would we be then?"

"Just the same, milord," Frederick stated matter-of-factly. "I must emphasize caution. 'Twould not do to let a wolf into our flock."

"Right then - we'll take them back to town and sort this out there," Chrom stated with a conclusive tone.

"Wait just one moment," Robin interrupted, stepping half in front of his sister in a protective way. "Do we have a say in this ?"

"Peace, friend," Chrom replied, his mind already made up. "I promise we'll hear all you have to say back in town. Now come." He had already turned around before he ended his sentence, and the girl was quick to catch up and walk beside him. The twins just stared at each other, both reluctant to follow, but yielded under Frederick's severe gaze letting them know he wasn't gonna move until they did as they were told. The twins followed Chrom and the blond girl with Frederick behind them, watching their every move. For a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, they all marched on, Robin and Roxanne exchanging worried glances before Roxanne finally decided to speak up, concern tinting her voice;

"What will you do with us ? Are we to be your prisoners ?"

"Hah! You'll be free to go once we establish you're no enemy of Ylisse," Chrom retorted with a soft laugh, not bothering to turn around to reply. He soon did, however, when he realized he wasn't hearing footsteps behind him anymore. The twins had stopped walking, and Chrom sighed silently, seeing they were still hesitant.

"Is that where we are? Ylisse?" Robin asked next, visibly annoyed he didn't know this already.

"You've never heard of the halidom?" Frederick asked accusingly. "Ha! Someone pay these actors. They play quite the fools! The furrowed brow is especially convincing..."

"Frederick, please," Chrom interrupted again. He turned to the twins and forced himself to be patient with them. "This land is known as the Halidom of Ylisse. Our ruler, Emmeryn, is called the exalt. I suppose proper introductions are in order... My name is Chrom - but then, you already knew that. The delicate one here is my little sister," he pointed to the blond girl. "Lissa."

"I am NOT delicate!" Lissa protested sharply. "Ignore my brother, please. He can be bit thick sometimes." A laugh escaped Roxanne, earning her an amused smile from Chrom and a subtle nudge from Robin. "But you're lucky the Shepherds found you," Lissa continued. "Brigands would've been a rude awakening!"

"Shepherds?" Robin repeated, incredulous. "You tend sheep? In full armor?"

"Heh, it's a dangerous job," Chrom defended with a crooked smile. "Just ask Frederick the Wary here."

"A title I shall wear with pride," the knight declared solemnly. "Gods forbid one of us keeps an appropriate level of caution. I have every wish to trust you, strangers, but my station mandates otherwise."

"I understand, sir," Roxanne nodded formally, ignoring the impressed smile she got from Robin. "I would do no less myself." She paused, eyeing her sibling, and deciding to lay out everything they knew. "We are siblings. Twins, to be more exact."

"We remember nothing but each other," Robin muttered, still wondering how this could be.

"How odd," Chrom commented absentmindedly. He was obviously eager to be on the move again. "Well, we can discuss it later. We're almost to town. Once we-"

"Chrom, look !" Lissa screamed in horror, pointing behind him. " The town!"

From where they stood, which was several yards away from the town in question, they could see dark streaks of smoke emanating from it.

"Damn it!" Chrom swore, his stance changing instantly. "The town is ablaze! Those blasted brigands, no doubt... Frederick, Lissa ! Quickly!"

"What about them?" Frederick pointed at the twins.

"Unless they're on fire as well, it can wait!" Chrom brushed off urgently.

"Aptly put, milord," Frederick agreed.

"Let's go already!" Lissa pleaded restlessly. The three of them ran off towards town, leaving the twins on their own. As soon as they were out of earshot, Robin turned to her sister.

"Roxanne..." he said, his tone grave. He pulled one side of his coat to reveal a sword. Her heart racing, Roxanne mirrored his action - instead of sword, however, she was carrying a book. She pulled it out of her belt and examined it. It was a spell book, no doubt about it.

"I think we can fight," Roxanne realized out loud, her eyes shifting between their weapons. Robin snorted, shaking his head.

"Let's find out," he proposed - and they both raced toward the town.

As the first group reached the town, it became obvious this was indeed a bandit attack. A group of barbarians were pillaging nearby houses and brutalizing helpless villagers. Lissa yelped in horror and Chrom swore yet again under his breath.

"Don't worry," he said, speaking to himself as much as to his two comrades. "After today, these bandits won't be bothering anyone ever again..."

"Wait!" Robin yelled, rushing toward them with Roxanne on his tail.

"You followed us!" Chrom noted disapprovingly as the two reached him. "Why?"

"I...I'm not certain myself," Roxanne admitted in a mumble.

"We're armed," Robin stated with a more confident voice. "And we know our way around a fight, if you'll have us."

"Of course - strength in numbers," Chrom accepted after a second of hesitation. "Just stay close!"

Both twins nodded simultaneously, and followed Chrom into the fray while Lissa stayed close to Frederick. The bandits seemed to recognize them, seeing as they instantly focused on taking them down as soon as they arrived. The twins proved to be valuable assets to Chrom's small team, much to their surprise. They were both capable with swords and magic and worked in sync, switching weapons and fighting efficiently side by side without words, exactly as if they knew the other's thoughts. The bandits were skilled too, however, and it soon came to Robin and Roxanne's attention that they would not make it if they kept aiming mindlessly at any bandit that happened to be in the way. It didn't seem to be apparent to any of the others, though. Thankfully, in the midst of battle, Roxanne found a second of respite after Robin had finished off another ax-wielder to firmly grabbed Chrom's wrist and snap him out of his fighting trans.

"This is never gonna work," she told him, trying to catch her breath at the same time.

"Wh-what do you mean ?" he asked frantically, adrenaline still coursing through his veins.

She pointed at Frederick, who was on the other end of the paved street, slicing right through the bandits' ranks. "If he keeps going, he'll be within the leader's reach in no time. I know he's strong, but he can't take him and all those savages at the same time, especially if he focuses on keeping Lissa out of harm's way."

"Let's go help him out, then," Chrom proposed. A group of enemies was approaching from behind, but he believed they could reach Frederick and Lissa before they reached them.

"No," Robin cut. "We'll be overwhelmed, especially if these guys keep chasing us," he added, referring to the bandits heading their way. "We have to get Frederick and Lissa to come over here."

"Why ? How is that any different ?" Chrom asked, becoming more and more confused. What were these two talking about ?

"Keep them divided," Roxanne explained quickly. "The group he's dealing with will not leave the leader's side, they're there to assist him. If Frederick and Lissa come here, we can deal with this small group more easily. Then regroup and have Lissa patch us up before going for the leader's group all together."

"Makes sense," Chrom admitted, still obviously puzzled. "How-how can you two figure this all out so quickly, though?"

"Do we really have time for this kind of question?" Robin answered with another question, getting ready to confront the incoming wave of bandits. "Just make sure Frederick gets over here as soon as possible!"

"We can see- see the flow of battle," Roxanne tried, knowing it probably sounded crazy. "Size up the enemy - and ourselves, in a glance." Before she could watch Chrom's expression, she took her tome out and stepped up to her brother's side, readying herself. She was casting spell after spell while hearing the man call out to Frederick and ordering him to come over here. As the twins expected, the bandits he was fighting stopped following him once he put a certain distance between himself and their leader, and the knight help Chrom, Robin and Roxanne take on the small group of savages, making it all more efficient. It didn't take long before most of them had either ran away or were incapacitated, and Lissa was safe to fully heal the four others before they marched toward the one who'd caused all this mess. He had many men down, but that didn't stop him from taunting Chrom and his team by calling them sheep. Then, out of the blue, he threw his short ax the blue-haired leader. If it wasn't for Frederick's protective reflexes - and heavy armor -, Chrom would have had the ax lodged between the eyes. Not wasting any time, Roxanne cast a Thunder spell on the bandits' leader who was still surprised from the knight's well-timed rescue, paralyzing him just long enough so that Robin could get close and bring the sword down.

Silence fell on the streets, and the few bandits remaining broke into a scattered escape while Robin sheathed his bloodied sword.

"Well, that's the end of that," Roxanne muttered, tugging several strands of hair behind her ears.

"Lucky for the town, we were close by," Lissa commented as she noticed people coming out of their houses hesitantly now that danger was gone. "But holy wow, Roxanne ! And Robin ! You were incredible ! Swords, sorcery, AND tactics ! Is there anything you two can't do?"

"You're certainly no helpless victims, that much is for sure," Chrom agreed.

"Indeed," Frederick added. "Perhaps you might even be capable of an explanation for how you came here ?"

"We understand your skepticism, Sir Frederick," Robin stepped next to his sister. " And I cannot explain why only some knowledge had returned to us. But please, believe me. We have shared all that we know."

"You fought to save Ylissean lives," Chrom stated. "My heart says that's enough."

"And your mind, milord?" Frederick insisted sternly. "Will you not heed its counsel as well?"

"Frederick, the Shepherds could use someone with Robin and Roxanne's talents," Chrom argued. "We've brigands and unruly neighbors, all looking to bloody our soil. Would you really have us lose such able tacticians ? Besides, I believe their story, odd as it might be."

"Th-thank you, Chrom," Roxanne spoke up, hesitant.

"So, how about it?" Chrom shifted to face both twins. "Will you join us?"

"I would be honored," Roxanne accepted eagerly. Robin seemed slightly annoyed that she wouldn't consult him, but shrugged.

"I shall too, then," he dropped in a conclusive way.

With that out of the way, the group headed back to the center of town where they hoped to meet some kind of official who would assure them that everything was alright.

"Did you notice, milord ?" Frederick asked on the way. "The brigands spoke with a Plegian accent."

"Plegian? What's that?" Robin inquired instantly, again seemingly annoyed to not know.

"Plegia is Ylisse's westerly neighbor," Chrom explained patiently. "They send small bands into our territory, hoping to instigate a war."

"And it's the poor townsfolk who suffer!" Lissa added, outraged. "Totally innocent, and totally helpless..."

"They do have us, milady: Shepherds to protect the sheep," Frederick comforted solemnly. "Do not be swept up in your anger. It will cloud your judgement."

"I know, I know," Lissa sighed. "Don't worry. I'll get used to all this." As she was finishing her sentence, a villager finally dared approach them.

"Milord, please !" he begged. "You must stay the night ! We are simple folk of simple means, but we would gladly toast your valor with a feast !"

"A most generous offer, sir," Frederick thanked with - was that a smile ? "And not doubt your hospitality would be grand. But I'm afraid we must hurry back to Ylisstol."

"Dark meat only for me," Lissa was telling the villager at the same time. "Medium well, and no salt in the soup. I simply- Wait, what?! We're not staying?! But, Frederick, it's nearly dark!"

"When night falls, we'll camp," he declared - apparently, it wasn't negotiable. "Eat off the land, make our bed of twigs and the like... I believe you mentioned you would be 'getting used to this'?"

"Frederick?" Lissa sighed. "Sometimes I hate you."

"You've got quite the stern lieutenant there," Roxanne noted, half-amused, half-intimidated.

"Yeah, well, 'stern' is one name for it," Lissa retorted, looking miserable. "I can think of a few others !"

"Frederick only smiles when he's about to bring down the axe," Chrom commented matter-of-factly.

"Duly noted," Robin replied, eyes wide.

"Ahem. You do realize I AM still present?" the knight in question asked seriously.

"Oh, we realize," Chrom brushed off with a grin, earning a soft laugh from Roxanne and an amused smile from Robin.

"Milord remains as amusing as ever," Frederick commented, obviously not amused. "Now then, shall we be going?"

"All right, all right," Chrom conceded. "Ready to go, you two ? The capital isn't far."

The twins exchange a glance one last time before nodding happily, and the group proceeded to exit the town.

* * *

[*]


	3. Chapter 3: Burn it down

The sun still accompanied them for some time. Despite indicating it was about to set back in town, the small group managed to catch a couple hours of walk before night fell. Most of it was done in silence with Chrom leading the way, Lissa trailing tiredly behind him, Frederick riding valiantly next to them and the twins closing the march. Eventually, Frederick dismounted his horse and offered the place to Lissa who was having more and more trouble keeping up with her brother's pace, and she accepted after the knight guaranteed he would be fine walking what little distance they could still cover while they had sunlight guiding them despite the heavy armor.

Robin used the minute of distraction to slow down considerably so he could speak to Roxanne without the three others hearing them, and pulled a pair of gloves out of his coat and offered them to his sister. Puzzled, she turned to look at him and noticed he was wearing some himself. As if he could read her thoughts, he took off the one covering his left hand to reveal the exact same mark she had on her right one; three pairs of eyes linked by two lines that merged at the bottom. She had almost forgotten about it after all that had happened, but now that she took the time to look at it again, she felt there was something very wrong with this. She touched the mark with her fingers and confusion painted itself on her face; it wasn't a drawing, nor a scar, nor a tattoo. It was almost like... a birthmark ? How could such a clean, well-drawn symbol be a birthmark ?

In any case, she felt uneasy just looking at it, so she didn't wait any longer accepting the pair of gloves Robin was handing her - not without questioning him with a glance.

"I snatched them on a bandit back in town," he explained, his eyes lowering. "A bit gross, I know. But it'll have to do until we can find something better."

"Thank you," she nodded with a grateful smile. That's when the two of them caught up to the rest of the group who had come to a stop.

"I told you- it's getting dark already !" Lissa pointed out. It was indeed starting to be dusky, and crickets had begun their evening chanting. "Ech ! And now the bugs are out ! Noisy, disgusting bugs that buzz around and crawl all over and bite you when- Agh ! Won goph in mah mouph ! Blech ! Ptooey !"

"Aw, come on now, Lissa," Chrom cheered with a smile. "Hardship builds character. Want to help me gather firewood ?"

"Tpht! Tpht! Yeeeeeuck ! I think I swallowed it..." Lissa complained pitifully. "I'll pass on finding firewood, thanks. I think I've built QUITE enough character for one day!"

"We should probably think about food," Robin commented. "I don't know about you, but I'm starving."

"Same here..." Roxanne agreed instantly.

"Yes," Frederick accepted. "I should think a little hunting and gathering is in order. Now, who wants to clear a campsite ?"

"Me !" Lissa volunteered as she dismounted Frederick's horse. "I'm done with the walking for today. I'll make this place all comfy for the five of us."

"I'm staying with you," Chrom stated unhappily.

"I can stay with her," Roxanne suggested. "You guys find some food and firewood." Chrom's eyes shifted between the two girls before he nodded, deciding once and for all that he trusted Roxanne.

"All right. Robin, with me," he ordered at the male twin, who seemed less than pleased he didn't get to put a word in. That or the fact that he found himself separated from his sister for the first time... "Frederick will find us some game. Let's find something to fuel what will cook it." The knight was already almost done taking armor off of his steed, ready to go on a hunting spree.

A few nods and hums of agreement later, the group parted, leaving Lissa and Roxanne alone on the soon-to-be campsite. They found a specific spot nearby where grass was less abundant and started working on preparing a fireplace, Lissa collecting rocks to isolate said fireplace from the plain's plants and Roxanne looking for some stray branches she could use to get the fire started. They also moved what little equipment they had to make a short wall that would more-or-less efficiently protect them from the wind.

"Agh!" Lissa yelped after getting her umpteenth mosquito bite. "I'm so ready to call this a day." Roxanne laughed softly, briefly looking up at the blond girl to see her taking a seat a few feet away once they were mostly done with their job.

"Is it the first time you accompany your brother on this kind of journey ?" she asked curiously before smiling as she managed to send a spark flying into the pile of twigs they'd gathered.

"Not exactly," Lissa started, crossing her arms. "It's the first time there isn't a bunch of officials there to look after our well-being, however." Roxanne frowned slightly, unsure she fully understood. She could see from their clothes and equipment Chrom and Lissa were far from poor, but were they really rich enough to afford paying people to hunt and prepare food and make them comfortable every time they traveled away from home ? As if that wasn't already what Frederick was tearing himself apart to do...

"What about Frederick?" the brunette asked, confused.

"Oh, Frederick is a Shepherd before anything else," Lissa explained with her usual liveliness. "Even though him being overprotective might be misleading..."

"I see..." was Roxanne's answer, even though she did not see, at all. It was completely obvious she wasn't seeing the big picture. There was one major piece missing, and she felt like she should have known by now. She remained silent until the boys returned, focusing on starting the fire.

* * *

In the meantime, Robin was following Chrom who had taken the direction of the forest and was now looking for some easy-to-carry firewood. Ironically, he caught Robin just in time before the latter tripped on a fallen tree he hadn't noticed because he kept looking back at where the girls were - which was getting fairly far, almost out of sight.

"They're fine," Chrom assured, although he sounded slightly worried for his sister as well.

"It is getting dark," Robin pointed out as if he hadn't heard Chrom. "I can hardly see anything."

"We won't need to look further," the swordsman replied, pointing at the dead tree that offered plenty of strong branches, all laid out in front of them and ready to be collected. They got to it, carefully at first and then more efficiently as their eyes became used to the deepening darkness of the woods.

"Hell of a first day, huh ?" Chrom commented after a few instants of silence, and Robin almost rolled his eyes.

"First day," he repeated, unsure he liked the term.

"Well, I mean..."

"It's fine, Chrom, I don't expect you to understand."

"Explain to me?" It sounded more like an order than asking a favor.

"I don't know, I just- I know my sister, and that's it. I can't remember anything else."

"You remember your sister," Chrom rephrased, but Robin shook his head.

"I don't remember her, I know her. I have no specific, solid memory with her. But I know her. I don't know how to explain it."

"Then tell me about her." Robin froze. He turned to look at Chrom, but it was so dark he could only see his silhouette working on collecting firewood - was he trying to better understand in what way Robin knew Roxanne, was he testing the ground, did he genuinely care about his sister... Robin couldn't tell. The night didn't allow him to read Chrom's expression.

"She is hardworking, and selfless. And stubborn too, although it might not be apparent yet since she is still insecure considering what's happening..."

"She didn't seem insecure on the battlefield today," Chrom noted, and Robin could almost hear the smile in his voice. Why did it bother him so much ? Brotherly instincts, he supposed.

"That's different, we knew what we were doing," he explained nonchalantly.

"Yes, about that... Maybe you can explain to me how that's possible," the blue-haired man inquired, swapping his friendly tone for a more serious one.

"I suppose we studied this before," Robin suggested, shrugging. "But it was like... we could see instantly what weapons each enemy was carrying, and what amount of damage each could do, and who was within their reach..."

"Size up the enemy and yourself in one glance," Chrom repeated Roxanne's words. Robin almost looked startled.

"Yes, exactly," he huffed, both in shock and in relief, before a bush behind the tree caught his attention. He took a few steps forward to get closer to said bush, and started picking out berries.

"That's impressi- hey how do you know those are not poisonous ?" Chrom inquired, worried they'd bring back dessert that would end up being their doom.

"I don't know... I just do." To prove his point, Robin put a couple of fruits in his mouth, a pleased expression taking over his features as he chew on them. Chrom simply sighed with a smile in response - it was becoming more and more obvious that he really had recruited two very unique specimens.

"Let's head back," he suggested after adding another handful of branches to the pile. "This should be plenty."

As if on cue, they just had time to hear the distinct sound of horse walking before Frederick appeared in their line of sight, walking next to his steed carrying a large, furry animal.

"Did you- did you hunt down a bear ?" Robin asked, incredulous.

"Were you expecting something more fancy?" the knight replied sharply.

"I don't think that's what Robin meant to imply," Chrom defended with a contained laugh. Frederick shrugged, indifferent, and the three of them headed back toward their small camp, carrying their new supplies - and Robin wondered exactly what kind of group he'd accepted to be a part of.

* * *

"...anyway, I'm so looking forward to seeing your face when you visit Ylisstol - it's huge, especially next to that little town we visited today. And there I can introduce you to the other Shepherds, and to my si-"

"We're back," Chrom called out as soon as he was within earshot. Roxanne was almost relieved to see them arrive - she was pleased to hear all Lissa had to say about her hometown and was more than looking forward to getting there the next day, but after this long day filled with various events and with an empty stomach growling, her attention span was getting shorter and shorter by the seconds and she had trouble keeping up with the younger girl - who was surprisingly lively for someone who was complaining they were tired and ready to call it a day a few minutes earlier. She turned around just in time to see Chrom drop an armful of wood a few feet away from the fire and Frederick unload his horse from the large corpse it was carrying.

"Is that a bear ?" Roxanne questioned, wearing the same expression her brother did earlier. Frederick refrained himself from answering this time, however.

"Aha... looks like we won't be going hungry tonight..." Lissa said, her sarcastic tone indicating she was expecting the opposite. Frederick remained silent as he started skinning the bear with a knife while Robin picked out a few sticks to cook it on. Chrom was quick to drop down between the two girls.

"Can we help?" Roxanne asked, her eyes fixed on Frederick who was now detaching big, clean pieces of meat from the carcass.

"No," Chrom shook his head halfheartedly. "Frederick knows what he's doing, we'd only get in the way." Roxanne nodded silently, a small smile appearing on her face when her brother sat down next to her.

"I picked these up, too," he informed, putting down a pouch full of berries in front of them. No one missed the look of relief that took over Lissa's features in that moment, but no one commented since their attention was all drawn by their valiant knight who started setting up bear flesh to roast over the fire. He threw some more wood in it before he finally sat down himself.

"This all smells very good," Roxanne commented eagerly, sitting cross-legged with both hands clutching her empty stomach.

"What are we gonna do with leftovers ?" Robin asked curiously after realizing the five of them surely wouldn't eat a whole bear.

"Cook them, dry them," Frederick replied, pragmatic. "Eat them on the go tomorrow." If it weren't for his always serious expression, the twins could have sworn he wasn't looking forward to eating bear. He stood up all the same when he decided dinner was ready, carefully pulling the servings away from the fire to distribute them before he put some more to cook while they ate.

"Mmm... It's been too long since I last had bear meat," Chrom hummed after taking his first bite. "Delicious!" He paused, looking up from his meal to see Lissa stare disdainfully at the roasting in her hand. "What's wrong, Lissa? Dig in."

"Pass! Gods, couldn't you spear us an animal normal people eat for once?" she asked accusingly as she turned to Frederick. Roxanne and Robin briefly paused their greedy eating to eye each other, unsure how to feel about Lissa speaking so boldly to the man who'd just brought her dinner without complaint. "I mean, come on!" the girl continued. "Who eats bear?! You're meddling with the food chain. Right ?" she turned her attention to twins, who were both back to digging in their meal voraciously. "...Uh, Roxanne ? ...Robin ?" Lissa sighed, getting nothing from the twins but the sound of avid chewing, added up to a laugh from Chrom and a slightly amused smile from Frederick. "I suppose a person would enjoy just about anything after not eating for days..."

"Just eat it, Lissa," Chrom rolled his eyes with a smile. "Meat is meat."

"Since when does meat smell like old boots ?!" she replied, outraged. "Wait, I take that back - boots smell better!"

"Every experience makes us stronger, milady," Frederick joined in. "Even those we don't enjoy."

"Really ?" Lissa retorted. "Then why don't I see you eating, Frederick ?"

"Me? Oh, well..." Frederick laughed nervously, much to the twin's surprise. "I'm not hungry. I...I had a large lunch ! Yes, quite."

"Yeah right, Frederick !" Lissa crossed her arms, resigned to go hungry rather than eat bear. Robin pointed at the pouch of berries, silenced by his mouthful, and Chrom grabbed it to hand it over to Lissa, who took it without hesitation.

"There," Chrom said after swallowing the last of his portion. "Happy, your Highness ?"

"Yes," Lissa replied, ignoring her brother's remark. She leaned her head on the side to see the male twin through the fire. "Thank you, Robin."

"No problem," he shrugged after finishing his serving as well before he stood up to help himself with some more. "Do you want some more ?" he offered to his sister who was also dealing with her final bite.

"It wouldn't be reasonable," she shook her head with a smile. A short moment of silence fell on the group as Robin cut himself a small piece of meat, before he seemed to suddenly remember;

"What about you?" he asked Chrom quickly, hoping the delay would go unnoticed.

"No thanks, I'm good," the swordsman replied, seeming more amused than offended by Robin's mishap. Whatever these two had been through in the past, it was obvious they mostly only ever had each other to look out for them.

"Well, I think I'm ready to catch some shut-eye now," Lissa declared after gulping the last berry. She ran a hand on the ground surrounding her, pushing away a few rocks before laying down carefully.

"Goodnight," Chrom replied. Roxanne noticed his expression shifting to a more brotherly one as soon as Lissa couldn't see him and couldn't help but smile at the sight of the two siblings.

"If I may," Frederick interrupted her train of thoughts. "I will try to sleep as well now. We still have some walking to do tomorrow." The knight imitated Lissa after Chrom gave him an approving nod.

"Is Ylisstol still that far?" Roxanne asked curiously as she reached out to throw some more wood into the weakening fire.

"Only 3 or 4 hours, I'd say," Chrom estimated. "We should be there by noon if we don't sleep in."

"I should try to sleep," Roxanne responded, although she seemed to be talking to her brother more than to Chrom.

"Yes, let's get some rest," Robin told her after licking the grease of his last piece of meat off of his fingers. They both laid down, placing their hoods so they could use them as pillows, and silence fell once again on the group, creaking fire and chanting crickets being the only sound that still filled the air as Chrom stared at the tired flames, unable to sleep.

* * *

It had probably been a couple of hours since his four companions had nodded off, and yet as the fire had slowly died down and darkness was done taking over the land, Chrom was still wide awake. Upon staring out into the woods, he was met with an extremely odd and unpleasant feeling that had his heart racing in a matter of seconds. He stood up, uneasy, and was about to go out and investigate when Lissa stirred. She yawned and stood up when she noticed her brother already standing.

"What's wrong, Big Brother?" she asked drowsily.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you, but..." His eyes were unsettled, restless. "Something is amiss..."

"Define 'something'," she replied, worry starting to pull her out of her sleepy state.

"I'm not sure," Chrom admitted. "I think I'll have a look around."

"Not alone, you won't!" Lissa protested. "I'm coming too."

"Heh. Thanks, Lissa." He punctuated his sentence with a nervous laugh, before he grabbed his sword and started walking towards the woods, his sister right behind him.

They looked around after entering the woods - they were dead silent.

"It sure is dark," Lissa commented. "And quiet. Where did the bird go?"

"Something is wrong here," Chrom repeated, stress painted all over his stance. Instantly, the ground starter shaking abruptly.

"Aaaah! Chrom !" Lissa yelped, almost falling over.

"Gods, what-" he started, struggling to remain on his two feet. "Agh! What is this madness?! Lissa, stay close !"

She obeyed, managing to walk the short distance that separated them so he could grab her and hold her close. As he was adapting to the rocking ground, Chrom noticed trees fall consecutively only a few rows away - and knew at once this was no regular earthquake.

"Lissa, run," he ordered at once.

"Huh?" she huffed in panic.

"I mean it, go !" He pushed her away from him, in the opposite direction from where he was facing. He watched a few more trees fall, noticing they were getting closer, before he ran off himself, catching up with his sister just as the ground split right where he was standing a second ago. The other half of earth rose suddenly, uncovering a layer of underground lava that sent fireballs flying all over the forest. Chrom looked up just in time to see Lissa run straight toward where a forest fire was about to catch. "Hey ! This way !" he yelled, motioning to the exit of the woods. After looking back to make sure she was following him, he ran until he was certain they were out of harm's way, only stopping to let his sister catch his breath and look back at what was going on. Lissa crouched, panting, only to notice something odd in the sky as she straightened herself up.

"Chrom ! What is that ?!" she pointed at something above a row of trees - it seemed like several particles of magic being quickly drawn together. The swordsman followed Lissa's gaze and watched in awe as the particles formed a thin line that suddenly expanded to take the form of a gigantic eye - and silence suddenly fell on the woods once more. It only lasted a few seconds, however; it was broken by the blood curdling moans of undead corpses that started dropping out of the eye - which was apparently acting as some sort of portal.

The corpses rose to their feet quickly after falling into to forest, their shiny, empty red eyes staring intently at the two siblings.

"Lissa, you better stand back," Chrom said, drawing his sword. The younger one nodded, running a few feet away behind him where she hoped she wouldn't get in the way. That's when one of the zombies broke into a run toward them. Chrom barely had time to noticed he was armed before he braced himself and sliced clean through the monster as soon as it was within range. The man turned around just in time to parry an incoming attack - apparently, the undead didn't die so easily. He mustered the strenght to push it away and forced it to lose its balance, using the second of respite to drive his sword straight into where his heart should have been, holding his blade tightly until the corpse vanished into a cloud of purple smoke.

Before he could even start catching his breath, he heard his sister scream for help and turned around to see the other monster had her cornered.

"Lissa!" he called out, sprinting toward her. The blonde looked up at her assailant, terrified, and managed to catch a glimpse of one more figure jumping out of the eye before it disappeared. This was no monster, however- this was definitely a person. What's more, this was a person who managed to reach her in time to block the corpse's axe with his sword as it was about to bring it down on her. It all happened in a matter of seconds, and left Chrom stopping in his tracks only a few yards away from them, staring at the newcomer. He could only hold the monster off for so long, though.

"Help !" the masked man panted as he turned to see Chrom standing there.

"Right," was his answer, and he broke into a run again, sword ready to strike. Chrom's appearance took the zombie by surprise and distracted it just long enough so the man who'd rescued Lissa had enough room to swiftly turn around and slice through the enemy at the same time Chrom did, leaving the corpse to disappear in smoke just like the last one had.

Lissa huffed in relief and looked up at the person who just saved her life, watching as he slowly sheathed his sword, his back turned on her and her brother.

"Quite an entrance," Chrom commented. "What's your name?" The man shifted to half-face them, his mask hiding a major part of his face. Before he could answer, however, the sounds of hooves galloping came to them and Frederick appeared with the twins right behind him.

"Milord ! Milady ! Are you hurt ?" the knight asked worriedly as soon as Chrom and Lissa were in his line of sight.

"Frederick !" Lissa greeted in relief. "Roxanne ! Robin !"

"Are such horrific creatures commonplace in these lands ?" Robin spat at the sight of more zombies approaching from other trails.

"They're not from Ylisse," Chrom replied seriously. "I promise you that."

"No one is injured, then ? Thank the gods..." Frederick sighed.

"Thank the masked man who saved me !" Lissa stepped in. "If it wasn't for him, I'd be- hey, where did he go ?"

"We can worry about him later," Frederick brushed off. "After we put these... things... to the blade. Eyes open, now. We know nothing about this enemy."

"Right," Chrom agreed, nodding to the whole group who was getting ready to fight.

"Captain Chrom ! Wait ! I'm coming !" a female voice called out from nearby. The small group perked up, all turning to see who had spoken and could soon make out the silhouette of a horse and rider working their way through the tightness of the forest. "Agh, I knew I shouldn'ta left 'em. All right, you ash-faced freaks ! Which one of ya wants to try my lance on for size first ? I know just the spot for it: shoved right up your-"

"Sully ?!" Chrom interrupted, obviously recognizing the woman. She didn't have time to great him, however;

"Hold, milady!" another figure appeared beside her - a blue haired man wearing noble-looking clothes. "Life may be long, but attraction is fleeting ! Would you leave me in your sweet dust ? Leave war to the warriors, dear bird ! A beauty such as you need wage only love. "

"...The hell are you ?!" Sully exclaimed, unimpressed.

"Ha ! Is the lady intrigued ?" the man replied, apparently pleased. "Of course you are- it's only natural. I am myth and legend! I am he who strides large across history's greatest stage ! The man who puts the 'arch' in 'archer' ! My name, dear lady, is Vi-"

"Sorry, Ruffles," Sully brushed off. "No time for this. Onward !"

"Virion!" the man finished. "...Er, my name. It's Virion. W-wait ! Where are you going ? Pray, at least tell me your name !"

"I'm Sully," she replied sharply. " And I'm a Shepherd."

"'Sully'!" Virion repeated. "How divine ! A starkly beautiful name, as befits its owner, truly. Will you marry me, my dearest Sully ?"

"Will I what now ?" the cavalier spat, clearly eager to meet up with her comrades. "Oh wait, I get it... This is a joke. And when I put my boot through your face- that's the punch line."

"I realize my manly figure and noble bearing can be overwhelming," Virion granted, patient. "'Tis common ! So please, don't feel pressured to answer right a-"

"How's this for an answer ?!" Sully asked as she kick him roughly away from her.

"OOF! G-goodness," Virion huffed. "But those shapely legs certainntly can kick, can't they... P-please, milady ! Allow me to accompany you, at least ! Mine is a cold, empty world without you. I shall be your most willing servant, and you, in turn, will give my life purpose..."

"Fine," Sully sighed. "Anything to shut you up. What ? Stop staring at me like that !"

"Uh, Sully ?" Chrom interrupted, seeing monster coming quickly their way. "You all set?"

"Hell yeah," was the cavalier's reply as she raised her lance. "Good to see you, Captain."

"Likewise," Chrom answered with a smile, before he turned to the twins. "Got any master plan ?"

"Are those..." Roxanne gestured to some structure sticking out of trees in the distance.

"Abandoned forts, yes," Frederick completed.

"Then we should take shelter in on them."

"They are rather far off..." Virion stressed out, seeing the dozen of undead run toward them, but the twins were already on their way.

"You heard them," Chrom let out before he followed them, the rest of the group quick behind him. Sure enough, they managed to reach one of the forts before their enemies could catch them and had a few seconds to get ready to fight. The twins orchestrated a clever rotation that allowed 2 or 3 of them to fight off the monsters and guard then entrance of the fort at the same time while Lissa patched up the others safely behind the building's walls. It didn't take long before the area was clear of animated corpses. As the group stepped out of the fort, looking around to see if there were any left that would have been out of their sight, they were met by the masked man who'd rescued Lissa earlier.

"It seems all creatures are vanquished," Frederick noted. "This young man took care of the others." Said young man remained silent as he stared at the others - or at least, it looked like he was staring; his eyes were hidden by his mask.

"Um, I never got to thank you," Lissa told him, sheepish. "For before. So... thank you. You were very brave."

"You saved my sister's life," Chrom said with a thankful smile. "My name is Chrom. Might I ask yours?"

"You may call me Marth," he answered after a second of delay.

"Marth?" Chrom repeated. "After the heroic king of old ? You certainly fight like a hero. Where did you learn your way with a sword ?"

"I'm not here to talk about me," Marth stated dryly. "This world teeters at the brink of a horrible calamity. What you saw tonight was but a prelude. You have been warned." With that, he turned around and walked off.

"Huh ? What's teetering where now ?" Lissa asked nervously. "Hey, wait !"

"Not much for conversation, is he?" Roxanne commented with a sigh.

"It appears his skills lie elsewhere," Frederick offered. "I wager we'll hear his name again... But for now I'm more concerned about the capital. We should make haste."

"We should," Chrom agreed with a nod. "Sully, ride ahead and let them know we're okay. Oh, and bring your friend."

"You talkin' 'bout this guy ?" the rider wondered, pointing at Virion. She rolled her eyes as Chrom confirmed, but decided there was no time to try and explain that the archer wasn't actually a friend - just some stranger she met on the way here and had followed her like his life depended on it.

Regardless, she grabbed him with one hand and pulled him onto her steed, much to his surprise, and pushed her horse to a canter and away from the group before they could hear the archer's first comments to getting to hold onto Sully.

"You okay ?" Robin asked Roxanne, handing her the Thunder tome she'd passed over to him while she was recovering so he could give his bronze sword to Frederick and have the advantage over the half-dozen of ax-wielder he dealt with during the battle.

"Yeah, just a few bruises here and there," Roxanne reassured her brother with a smile. Ironically, she had cut right under her left eye. She didn't seem to mind, however.

"You two just thought this plan up as soon as you saw the fort ?" Chrom asked, oblivious to the small twin moment he'd just interrupted.

"Was it not an obvious winning strategy ?" Robin retorted, not even half-joking.

"What were you two even doing out here ?" Roxanne asked Chrom and Lissa before they could answer Robin's question. "Wandering off in the middle of the night..."

"Chrom felt something was wrong," Lissa explained with a shrug.

"Well, that would be an understatement," Robin dropped, readjusting his gloves on his hand.

"Shall we get going ?" Frederick asked urgently, and the four turned to see him more thank ready to take off. A soft light in the sky indicated that the sun was about to rise.

* * *

[*]


	4. Chapter 4: Start of something good

"What's so interesting about grass ?"

Lissa's voice made Roxanne perk up to look at her, only to see the question had caught everyone's attention and every available pairs of eyes were on her now.

The group had been walking in silence for maybe half an hour now, and the further they got from the forest they encountered those undead bodies in, the louder the birds were - and the brighter the sun seemed to be. It was already obvious it would be a really nice day. Yet, the female tactician realized then and there she had hardly looked up from the ground ever since they set out.

"Oh, uh... nothing. I think the morning dew looks really pretty," she blurted out as an answer, wincing bashfully when she realized how silly it sounded.

"Oh, yeah, well," Lissa started, turning to face ahead once more. "I could do without the wet socks." A snort came from the front of the group where Chrom was leading the march.

"Come on Lissa, learn to appreciate the small things," he suggested, clearly amused.

"Easy for you to say !" the blonde retorted, pouting. "You have actual boots. This damp tall grass is soaking my shoes."

"Be patient, Milady," Frederick commanded. "Ylisstol is only a couple of hours away."

"What will we do once we get there ?" Robin asked Roxanne, and she answered with a shrug, apparently as concerned about this as he was.

"We will make our report to the palace," Chrom explained matter-of-factly. "Then, we will take you to the Shepherds' headquarters so you can meet everyone."

"Wait," Roxanne said in a worried tone. "Are you saying your whole Shepherds organization is... affiliated to royal affairs ?"

"Well, yes," Chrom confirmed, his tone slightly confused.

"Obviously," Frederick added severely. Roxanne turned to Robin, who seemed just as lost as she was, and they shared yet another thought. _We're missing a piece of the puzzle. A major piece._

The sun was well above the horizon when they reached the road that apparently led to civilization. It started with humble houses, farms and cottages scattered on the hills and near the creeks before they found themselves walking through villages. The twins weren't oblivious to the way every peasant, merchant and villager seemed so eager to great Chrom and Lissa and wish them a good day, but they figured it was simply one of those nice towns where everyone knew everyone. Upon exiting yet another village, a fancy castle suddenly came into view in the distance. It was surrounded with a city so huge the twins could already guess they would get lost in so many streets. They were still pretty far, but it was obvious it was a very lively capital and there wasn't just residences circling it. From here they could see a church, stables, what was probably a school, a military district, shops, and many more installations they couldn't yet identify.

But the highlight of Ylisstol was definitely its castle, rising like a graceful giant watching over the city. It looked fairly recent while still bearing a traditional, almost historical style and charm.

"The view you must have from up there..." Robin whispered to Roxanne, and she nodded eagerly.

"What's that ?" Chrom asked, not bothering to turn around to face the twins.

"Nothing," Robin shrugged.

"You'll see," Lissa stepped in. "It looks even better from up-close !"

"So this is Ylisstol, capital of Ylisse..." Roxanne let out as she halted suddenly to let another line of citizen pass at an intersection before jogging her way back next to her brother. How Chrom, Lissa and Frederick could navigate with such ease these crowded streets was beyond her. "I've never seen so many people !"

"It appears the capital was spared the chaos we encountered," Frederick noted with relief as he looked around for any sign of frightened passerby. However, people seemed just as lively and happy as you'd expect inhabitants of such frantic city. "Thank the gods. I see no evidence of the great quake. It must've been limited to the forest."

"Well, that's a relief !" Lissa exclaimed, seemingly just as relieved to be home. It was obvious to the twins that she was in her element, in the middle of a bunch of friendly people and far from any kind of rustic land.

"Look !" one of the nearby citizen called. "The exalt has come to see us !" As if on cue, almost every person on the walkway turned to where the man was pointing and started heading there. The twins followed the movement from afar, and managed to get a glimpse of a noble-looking blond woman accompanied by a dozen of guards.

"The exalt is your ruler, yes ?" Robin asked to whoever was within earshot, without taking his eyes off the lady.

"Yes," Frederick confirmed. "Her name is Lady Emmeryn."

"Is it safe for her to walk among commoners like this ?" Roxanne asked in turn, more out of curiosity than worry.

"The exalt is a symbol of peace," Frederick explained casually. "Ylisse's most prized quality. Long ago, at the dawn of our age, the fell dragon tried to destroy the world. But the first exalt joined forces with the divine dragon and laid the beast low. Exalt Emmeryn reminds us all of the peace we fought for then."

"With Plegia poking at our borders, the people need her," Chrom added, crossing his arms. Robin noted that he and Lissa didn't seem in a hurry to greet the exalt, unlike the other Ylisseans. "She's a calming presence, when some might otherwise call for war."

"Then the Ylissean people are indeed lucky to have her," Robin commented with a small smile.

"She's also the best big sister anyone could ask for!" Lissa chimed happily.

"Yes, I imagine she... Wait, what ?" Roxanne froze, turning to stare at Lissa with wide eyes.

"She's your..." Robin started, wearing the exact same expression.

"But wouldn't that make you and Chrom..." the brunette continued, suddenly feeling very uneasy.

"The prince and princess of the realm, yes," Frederick finished with a laugh. "You remember Chrom's name and not this ?"

"You said you were _shepherds_ !" Robin defended.

"And so we are," Chrom confirmed. "In a manner of speaking. We just have a _lot_ of sheep."

"C-Chrom..." Roxanne started before getting a not-so-gentle nudge from her brother. "I mean, Prince Chrom ! Sire ! Forgive my dreadful manners !"

"Just Chrom is fine," the prince assured with a friendly smile. "I've never been much for formalities."

"The prince and princess..." Robin shook his head before running a hand through his hair. "That explains why Frederick tolerates all the teasing, eh ?"

"Indeed," Frederick affirmed with a sigh. "Oh, the sacrifices I make for the good of the realm..." The twins eyed each other, the same thought running in their mind; suddenly, Frederick appeared a whole lot more sympathetic.

"It looks like Emm is returning to the palace," Chrom observed, seeing as the crowd had started moving. "Would you like to meet her ?"

Once again, the twins shared a glance before nodding eagerly, both overwhelmed by the turn of events. Well, this explained the missing puzzle piece.

The group worked their way through the crowded streets, dismissing insistent merchants at every corner until they reached the royal district; it was a calmer, fancier neighborhood filled mostly with noble houses, and it was the last civilian section before reaching castle ground. Speaking of which, there was a whole guarded field surrounding it, filled with a royal school, royal stables, royal courtyard... Basically, anything surrounding the palace screamed royalty and had guards on duty roaming around constantly. Frederick handed his horse's reins to one of the person in charge at the entrance of the castle ground, who led it away to the stables. The twins felt rather out of place, being observed by every guard who passed by who looked about ready to jump on them at any sign of aggression coming from them. The twins wondered what was keeping them from doing so; the obvious lack of worry in Chrom and Lissa's stance or the nods of approval Frederick distributed to whoever gave him a questioning look.

"Come on," Chrom called for the umpteenth time, turning around to catch - again - the twins falling behind to get a better look. Ever since they reached the courtyard, they would stop in their tracks to better take in the sight of the place, may it be a row of blooming flowers displayed on the gallery or the simplest ornament decorating a statue at the entrance hall of the castle. "You'll get other opportunities to visit if you want."

Despite being amazed by everything there was to look at, both Roxanne and Robin eventually found it in themselves to keep following steadily - that is, until they reached the throne room. There, they recognized at once the woman they saw earlier in Ylisstol - Emmeryn. She was discussing with a white-haired woman who the twins could, somehow, immediately label as a Pegasus knight. Needless to say, Chrom's new recruit stayed somewhat setback when the rest of the group walked up to the exalt.

"Chrom ! Lissa ! Welcome home," she greeted as soon as she noticed them approaching. "Oh, and good day, Frederick. How fared you all ?"

"Well- we shouldn't have any bandit problems for a while," Chrom said with a hint of a smile.

"Wonderful," the lady approved. "And our people ?"

"Safe as they can be, Emm," her brother affirmed once more. "But we still need to watch the borders. The brigands crossed over from Plegia."

"Forgive me, milord," the silver-haired woman stepped in. "My Pegasus knights should have intercepted them."

"No, Phila," Chrom disagreed. "Your duty was here, with the exalt."

"And besides, we had plenty of help !" Lissa hummed.

"Ah, you speak of your new companions here ?" Emmeryn asked, her gaze shifting to the twins who stayed behind. They both stepped forward hesitantly.

"This is Roxanne, and this is Robin," Chrom introduced, nodding at them respectively. "They fought bravely with us against the brigands. I've decided to make them Shepherds."

"It sounds as though Ylisse owes you both a debt of gratitude," Emmeryn declared with a thankful smile.

"Not at all, milady !" Robin huffed, eyes everywhere but on her.

"Forgive me, Your Grace," Frederick interrupted. "But I must speak. Roxanne and Robin both claim to have lost their memory, but it is only that : a claim. We cannot rule out the possibility that they are brigands themselves or even Plegian spies."

"Frederick !" Chrom exclaimed, indignant.

"Yet you allowed them into the castle, Chrom," Emmeryn said in a more serious tone, turning to face him. "Do these people have your trust ?"

"Yes," the swordsman affirmed without hesitation. "They risked their lives for our people. That's good enough for me."

"Well, then..." the exalt started, shifting to face the twins. "It seems you've earned Chrom's faith, and as such you have mine as well." The twins could only nod gratefully in response. "But thank you, Frederick, for your prudence, as always. Chrom and Lissa are blessed to have so tireless a guardian. I do hope they remember to mention that from time to time..."

"They occasionally express something akin to gratitude, Your Grace," Frederick retorted. Roxanne had to focus on not laughing - and she decided right then and there that, despite all, she liked Frederick. She looked up at her brother to see he was biting his lips as well. Oh, how the both of them wished they could see Chrom and Lissa's expressions from where they stood... "Phila, I assume you've heard about the deathly creatures we encountered, yes ?"

"Yes, milord," the lady confirmed. "They've been sighed all across Ylisse, and one of your effective arrived early this morning to warn us that you had encountered them as well overnight."

"Chrom, we are about to hold council," Emmeryn stated with a soft but serious voice. "I was hoping you could join us."

"Of course," he nodded.

"I think that's our cue !" Lissa laughed, turning around to join the twins. "C'mon, I'll show you your new home !"

New home. Both twins kept juggling with the thought as Lissa lead them happily out of the castle. It was weird to think they would have a home at all - and it was even weirder to think they would be granted such a thing for the mere fact that they happened to be able to help the people who were intending on helping them first.

They followed the blond princess nonetheless, trying not to fall behind on their way out as they did on their way in. Upon reaching the courtyard however, instead of heading out of the castle ground, Lissa took a turn to the left and started circling the palace. From the path they walked on, they could get a perfect view of what they supposed was a military district of sorts; there were Pegasus knights training relentlessly or tending to their mounts, and then soldiers and guards being put into shape by seemingly strict coaches. When they finally reached the backyard, a bunch of other installations came into view.

"Welcome to the Shepherds Headquarters !" Lissa chanted, not letting the twins take the time to have a look before heading straight to the heart of the group of buildings.

"Over here is the training ground," she said, pointing at the closest of the larger buildings. "And next to it is the weapon vault," she added, referring to a smaller shed right next to it.

"This is the mess hall," she pointed at a long, rectangle building. "It's where we eat ! It's also where we display who's on kitchen duty each day, but don't worry about it, I don't think you'll be getting this very often yet," Lissa explained, ignoring the questioning look Robin and Roxanne shared.

"This is where we get together after a long, tiring day," she continued, motioning to a fireplace surrounded with logs and large rocks that the twins assumed were used as seats at night. They didn't have much time to consider it, however; Lissa seemed determined to get the visit done as quickly as possible:

"And these are the residences !" she pointed at a row of very small, independent buildings that were probably big enough to hold a room each, maybe two. "They each have a bed, a desk, a wardrobe and a very small bathroom. We have a lot more built and furnished than we need, but that's because Chrom keeps recruiting all around. Most of the Shepherds also have other houses in the city - or in the castle, as far as Chrom and I are concerned, but it's fun to have somewhere to live in and call our own since we spend most of our days around here when we're not on duty ! You two can pick an empty one each when you want to start getting installed." Roxanne and Robin were both eager to take a look at at least one of those rooms, but Lissa was already pulling them away toward another building as soon as she finished her sentence.

"We have stables over there," she motioned to the farthest building, waving at a small figure she seemed to recognize in the distance. After a lot of squinting, the twins eventually recognized Sully, who was tending to her horse as Virion was holding its halter. Even from here, they could see the man wasn't very at ease acting like a groom.

"And this is the best part," Lissa grabbed their attention back. "The barracks. Where we just sit down and hang out !" She opened the door vigorously, freezing for a moment upon seeing the empty room before turning around and pushing the twins - who were, yet again, just trying to get a better look inside - out of the doorway.

"Where is everyone ?!" she yelled towards the distant stables.

"Storage room !" they heard Sully's voice answer. Turning around once more, Lissa headed for said building, inviting the twins to follow her.

"Sometimes everyone just gathers in the randomest place," she mumbled as an explanation. She smiled as they reached the storage room. "Are you two ready to meet everyone ?!" she asked almost excitedly.

"Uh..." was all Robin had time to answer before she pushed the door open.

About half a dozen pairs of eyes fell on them as they entered the room; people were standing in a circle or sitting on boxes or chairs laying around. Lissa walked closer to the group before turning to the twins.

"Here we are !" she announced. "The Shepherds' garrison. Go on, make yourself at home." Roxanne and Robin obeyed, stepping forward to look around, impressed.

"Lissa, my treasure !" another blonde cried out, running at the princess. "Are you all right ? I've been on pins and needles !"

"Oh, hey, Maribelle !" Lissa greeted happily.

"'Oh hey' yourself !" Maribelle protested. "I've sprouted 14 gray hairs fretting over you !"

"Aw, you worry too much," Lissa assured her with a friendly laugh. "I can handle a battle or two ! Although I could do without the bugs and the bear barbecue..."

"And the wet socks," Robin whispered to Roxanne, making her laugh softly.

"Hey, squirt !" a muscly man with spiky blond hair stepped in. "Where's Chrom ? I bet he had a rough time out there without ol' Teach and his trusty axe !"

"Oh, so you're 'Teach' now, Vaike, is that it ?" Lissa summed up, punctuating her sentence with another giggle. "And here I thought people were just born lacking wits. It can be taught ?"

"Ha !" Vaike exclaimed. "Never doubt the Vaike !" He paused. "...Wait, was that an insult ?"

"Beg pardon," a greyish brown-haired woman interrupted gently. "But when might we see the captain ?"

"Poor Sumia," Maribelle shook her head. "She's simply been beside herself with concern... Her eyes were scanning the horizon all day during training... She might have earned fewer bruises fighting blindfolded."

"Aw, Sumia," Lissa grinned. "That's so sweet of you to worry about Chrom."

"Worry ?" Sumia repeated. "Well, I... He's our captain and our prince- of course I'd worry !"

"So, who're the strangers ?" Vaike asked, and everyone seemed to be suddenly reminded of the twins' presence.

"No one's stranger than you, Vaike..." Lissa argued playfully. "But allow me to introduce Robin and Roxanne ! They just joined the Shepherds. Chrom's made them our new tacticians. You should see all the tricks they've got up their sleeve !"

"Oh yeah ? Can any of them do this ?" Vaike asked before burping loudly.

"I'm sure we have much to learn in the belching arts, 'Teach'," Roxanne replied humbly, as amused by Vaike's immature sense of humor as she was by Robin's disturbed face.

"In any case, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintances," the male twin said, although at this point he was pretty much forcing a smile.

"Ugh, Vaike !" Maribelle complained. "That was abhorrent ! Must you baseborn oafs pollute even the air with your buffoonery ? And you, Roxanne ! Don't encourage him ! I'd hoped you were cut from finer cloth. Hmph !" With that, the noblewoman turned her back on them, and went to join a couple of other Shepherds at the back of the room who seemed too absorbed in their board game to come and meet the newcomers.

"Don't take it to heart," Sumia reassured, turning to face the twins. "Maribelle warms to people slowly."

"Or burn too quickly !" Lissa joked. "But yeah, just give her time. " The twins barely had time to register Lissa's words and hear the door behind them open before...

"Ah ! Captain ! You've returned ! I was- I mean, we were so -" Sumia tried stepping forward to properly greet him, but somehow tripped over her own foot and fell on the ground. Robin snorted, earning a nudge from Roxanne. Sumia was quick to be back on her feet, however, and just as quickly dusted herself off.

"Sumia ! Are you all right ?" Chrom asked, worried. "...Those boots of yours again ?"

"No ! I mean, yes ! I mean..." Sumia sighed, giving up on coming up with a decent explanation.

"All right, listen, everyone," Chrom called out, and the couple of other Shepherds who had stayed to mind their own business in the back walked up to the rest of the group. The twins took a few seconds to acknowledge them - an olive-haired man mostly dressed in a green and redhead woman wearing glasses - before focusing their attention back to their 'captain'. "In the morning, we'll be marching to Regna Ferox."

"Regna Ferox ?" Robin interrupted instantly, still annoyed about the fact that he should have known this stuff.

"A unified kingdom to Ylisse's north," Sumia explained matter-of-factly. "Inhabited by barbarians, or so it's said."

"Warriors are what they are," Chrom corrected. "And we'll need their strength to quell this new menace. Typically, the exalt would request such aid in person. But given recent events... Well, the people might worry should my sister suddenly leave the capital. So the task has been passed to us. Now, this mission is strictly voluntary. So if, for any-"

"I volunteer !" Lissa raised her hands.

"Me too !" Vaike declared. "You'll be needin' ol' Teach along for such a delicate mission !"

"I'll go as well," a newcomer stepped in. The twins stared him down - he was wearing full armor, how had they not heard him approaching ? "...What ? I've been here the whole time !"

"I...I, um," Sumia started, unsure.

"Yes, Sumia ?" Chrom encouraged.

"It's just that..." she continued. "I'm not sure I'm quite ready for a proper mission just yet. I'd probably just get in the way."

"Well, you could stay behind the main group," Chrom suggested. "And if battle is met, just watch and learn ? Your choice, of course. But some lessons can only be learned on the battlefield."

"W-well, if you think it wise, Captain," she agreed.

"Just stay by me and I'll be fine," he grinned.

"Oh, yes !" Sumia sighed happily - and both twins rolled their eyes. "I mean- Yes, sir, I'll do that !"

One by one, the rest of them confirmed they would accompany him on this mission, except for Maribelle who explained she had business to help her father with in the next couple of days. After that, all of them went about their business, Vaike joining the three Shepherds who had yet to introduce themselves with their board game, Maribelle and Lissa exiting the room mentioning something about going on a horseback ramble for the afternoon, leaving the twins, Chrom and Sumia standing in the doorway.

"Has Lissa shown you your residences yet ?" the captain asked his new recruits, confusion tinting his features as Roxanne nodded while Robin shook his head.

"Well, sort of," Roxanne explained with an uneasy laugh. Fortunately for them, Chrom seemed to understand immediately what kind of tour his sister had given them.

"Apparently, a proper visit is in order," he offered shifting to head for the door, before recalling; "Are you coming with us, Sumia ?"

"Oh, uh, no," the woman stuttered, apparently still embarrassed for her earlier mishap. She followed them out of the room still. "I'll go find Cordelia, I think," she muttered before she left them to take the direction of the huge training area on the side of the palace the twins had gotten to see earlier. The prince shrugged before he turned to the twins once more.

"Let me show you around duly," he proposed, and both twins nodded thankfully. They didn't know much of what the future could possibly have in store for them, but it sure felt like things were off to a good start.


	5. Chapter 5: Home

"Who's Cordelia ?" Roxanne asked as soon as Sumia was out of earshot.

"A fellow pegasus knight, I think," was Chrom's reply after a few seconds of thinking. He mostly assumed so because their training ground was where Sumia was heading, but he did remember the woman mentioning this "Cordelia" once or twice before. The twins' interest was more so to know whether Cordelia was another Shepherd or not, seeing as they'd be better off learning to know them all sooner rather than later. Chrom's faint knowledge concerning who she was was proof enough, however, that he didn't know her personally - therefore, they had their answer.

"Is Sumia the only pegasus knight the Shepherds have ?" Robin asked curiously as their small group reached what Lissa had designated as the training area.

"For now," Chrom nodded. "I ran into her a few weeks ago - her rather, she ran into me," he told, obviously amused at the memory. "We had a brief conversation before parting ways, but I got curious. I went to watch one of her training sessions and worked on recruiting her right away. As clumsy as she may be on foot, she has a gift around animals."

"Are those your recruitment policies ?" Robin asked half-sarcastically. "Gifted people ?"

"Something like that," the prince admitted with a chuckle, oblivious to Robin's snark. "I recruit people for all kinds of reasons. Sully and Stahl, for example-"

"Stahl ?" Roxanne interrupted immediately.

"Oh, the cavalier clad in green," Chrom described, understanding he'd shown up before everyone had had a chance to introduce themselves. Fortunately for the twins, they did notice the olive-haired man who'd stepped forward when Chrom had made his announcement. "I've known these two for years. We played and trained together when we were kids. They both supported and helped me a lot putting this militia together." They'd arrived at the building's entrance by the time he finished his sentence, and he pushed the door open before inviting the twins in. "It only made sense they'd be part of it. Same goes for Frederick, who's been looking after Lissa and I for... quite a few years, now that I think about it."

A row of huge windows on this side of the big room made it so it was as illuminated inside as it was out, but there were also a bunch of well-sized lights and lamps, both on the walls and on the ceiling, to provide enough lighting on grayer days and after dark. The few wall spaces left were used to support all kinds of training aids; mirrors, targets, ladders, and even a climbing wall in the far corner of the room that led to the rest a small obstacle course. There were also some wires suspended on the ceiling, small holes in the floor here and there - obviously meant to have some other material anchored in them - and most of all, a variety of colored lines reminiscent of a gymnasium, probably there to delimit the playing zones of all kinds of training games. All in all, it felt like a very complete training area, even with no equipment currently installed. Speaking of which, Chrom was heading towards a door on the far left of the room, which the twins knew led into the weapons vault.

"I met Vaike coincidentally in the streets on the outskirts of town," he continued nonchalantly. "He was having a rather rough lifestyle, even putting aside the fact that he never had much money or a thorough education. But he was good-hearted and very skilled, so I gave him an opportunity he didn't think twice before taking." With that, he turned the doorknob and motioned for the twins to go in.

The room was separated in two parts defined by a curtain suspended in the middle.

"The other side of the room is our actual weapons vault," the prince clarified, referring to what the large piece of fabric was hiding. "This half mostly contains the training equipment; protections, targets, dummies, and training weapons." He picked up the first sword of a series that went along the entire wall; it looked fairly similar to Robin's bronze sword. "We have a training equivalent for almost every weapon the convoy holds - same shape, same size, same weight, but not nearly as lethal and much cheaper. This way we can maintain most of our material in good shape on longer terms and don't risk much sparring against each other."

Again, both twins were impressed with the clever set-up, but while Robin got curious and started picking up practice blades to compare them with their legitimate versions, Roxanne seemed more inclined to learn more about how every Shepherd came to be part of this group.

"What about Maribelle ?" she asked shyly, not without taking a distracted look at some of the inventory to show some consideration for everything their host had just explained.

"Oh, she and Lissa go way back," Chrom recalled with a smile, leaning back on a nearby wall with his arms crossed to tell the twins a bit more of the group's history while they looked through the room's content. "They met years ago when the Duke of Themis - Maribelle's father - visited, and she was immediately taken with affection for Lissa. They've been best friends ever since. She's an excellent rider and an even better healer, so when she started mentioning a few months ago that she wished she could visit more often, I suggested she joined. She still goes home every week or so, but she mostly lives here now, and believe me when I tell you she wasted no time making herself at home; her room is the most clean and noble-looking of all the barracks. Come to think of it, I wouldn't be surprised if it was her presence at this camp that suddenly got Lissa so insistent on joining..." He trailed off, looking up to realize he'd started to ramble. Robin was still rummaging with evident curiosity through the equipment - he'd crossed over to the genuine weapons section, listening with half an ear. Roxanne, on the other hand, was paying close attention to his every word. Chrom arched a brow, a crooked smile drawing itself on his face, and continued:

"Miriel and Kellam - the red-haired mage and the inconspicuous knight," he precised when he noticed the brunette's eyes narrowing, "I heard about through the branches. Miriel was a brilliant scholar who seemed to already know everything the academy had to teach about. That doubled by the fact that she was well above the average magic user in terms of skills, I've wanted her on our team as soon as I met her, even though she usually uses a vocabulary too refined for me to understand." Chrom scratched the back of his neck sheepishly, before going on; "Kellam is native from a nearby city, if my memory's good. He left his family to become a knight, and it didn't take long for the rumors to make their ways to me; a very able knight who seemed to always blend in with his environment, even when wearing his full armor. He seemed keen on the idea of being part of our group when I mentioned it upon meeting him - and here he is."

"What about Virion ?" Robin asked from across the room, an amused vibe slipping in his voice. Chrom swiftly turned his head to look at him, seeming almost surprised the male tactician had, in fact, been keeping up with the conversation.

"I don't actually... know... Virion," the prince admitted, tilting his head. "From what I understood, Sully met him on her way yesterday, and he's been sticking with her. But he's proved he was adept with a bow - and if he can even keep up with Sully for a whole day... He's definitely among the tougher men. I'll gladly keep him around if he agrees."

"For someone who offers so many benefits to his soldiers," Robin motioned to the impressive variety of weapons as he spoke, but it was evidently implied he also referred to both the free food and shelter. "...you don't seem to have very definite standards when it comes to hiring." Chrom was silent for a few seconds, then shrugged:

"I don't really like to think of it as a job. Being a Shepherd isn't an employment. You don't get up and show up in the morning, fill your duty and go home at night. It's more of an all day, everyday concept. We work and breath as a unit - may it be to achieve a decent dinner for everyone to share or to travel for days to the border of the country to defend villages from bandit attacks. We... we are a family. I like to think I can tell when someone belongs with us. Skill and ability are important, but... it's also about personality and potential. And I trust my own instincts." Robin had shifted to give Chrom his full attention, and he turned his gaze on his sister as soon as the former finished his sentence. She was smiling humbly, and both twins shared the same warm, pleasant feeling. The prince, on the other hand, hadn't noticed the subtle hint of praise and trust he'd distributed along with his speech, and was slightly taken aback by the sudden silence. "Moving on..." he muttered, heading out of the rooms, two pleased tacticians right behind him.

"You'll get to see this place up close and personal tonight," the swordsman gestured at the campfire area, which seemed to be located exactly at the heart of the camp, in the middle of every other building. "So for now, to the stables."

Both Robin and Roxanne remembered having seen Sully caring for her horse from afar, with Virion accompanying her, before Lissa had dragged them into the storage room where the other Shepherds were gathered. She didn't seem to be there anymore, however. The whole pasture behind the stables contained a few horses grazing here and there, but no sign of Sully's white steed. It took the trio a few minutes to reach the barn, but the twins could tell soon enough that this building was no exception to the other's professional simplicity; everything was in order, clean, practical, and yet emitted a certain aura of familiarity. Before they went in, Chrom pointed toward the bigger, fancier stables all the way past the Shepherd's horseback riding arena, closer to the front of the castle, and explained:

"The royal stables are just a few minutes away on foot. A handful of their grooms are paid to come here and clean up the place, muck out the stalls and feed the horses everyday, so we don't actually have to maintain this place ourselves. Unless you actually want to, you won't have to be coming here often, exceptions aside. But we'll probably be getting you your own horses eventually, so it'd be best if you're familiar with the place-"

"We'll be getting our own horses ?" Roxanne interrupted, seeming both excited at the idea and worried about the expense.

"We all have one," Chrom nodded with a reassuring smile. He lead them inside, seeing as a few presentations were in order. "Some Shepherds take them into battle while others, like myself, only use them for enjoyment or travel purposes. In any case, there are people to take care of them and exercise them, so you don't have to worry about the responsibility. And if you find yourself feeling like taking a stroll on horseback, you'll have your own right here, waiting for you." On his right was a full row of boxes, and on the left, against the wall, endless supplies of horse-related material; hay, brushes, saddles, bridles, buckets, wheelbarrows, halters, and even some armor in front of a few specific boxes. Chrom walked up to the first box of the alley, and as they followed him, the twins recognized Frederick's imposing, dark mare.

"...Lady Kate ?" Robin read on a metal tag plastered on the stall's door, obviously amused. Chrom chuckled in response.

"Yes, well, those are their official, on-paper names," he explained, "but most of us already gave them our own nicknames. To tell you the truth, I don't think I've ever heard Frederick call her anything other than 'Blackie'." That earned him a snort from Roxanne, and he decided to show them some more examples. "This is Listo," he pointed at the next horse, a dark bay guelding. "He belongs to Stahl." Both twins eagerly looked at this one's shiny label. It read 'High Voltage'. "And here's Sully's," Chrom motioned to the next, inviting his tacticians to keep up. They recognized the white horse, now all clean from Sully's earlier treatment. His tag read 'Rockefeller'. "She always calls him 'Nik'," the prince informed with a shrug. "I don't know where she got that, but it stuck."

And it went on - for each horse there was a fancy name engraved on a just as fancy tag, and for each horse, their associated Shepherd had found a cute, short or easy to go-by nickname. That is, until they reached Chrom's, whose mare was tall and dashing white. Objectively speaking, it was by far the most gorgeous specimen of the whole stable, and its owner seemed a bit uncomfortable watching the twin's impressed reaction when they caught sight of the specimen. The prince unlocked the upper half of the stall's door and opened it to let the mare poke her head out and observe the newcomers. Chrom gave her a pat on the head, his expression taken with an affection that, the twins could tell, had nothing to do with the horse's beauty. "This is Crimson," he introduced, turning to look back at his tacticians.

"Crimson ?" Robin questioned with a frown. "Why ? It's pure white."

"It's her official name," Chrom defended, pointing at the tag that read 'Classic Crimson XII'. "They've been passing it down for generations. A unique species bread to always be perfectly white. Most of her lineage was hot-blooded and vile, but thankfully she's been surprisingly easy to work with. Her sire belonged to my father." There was a pause during which the twins held their breath. It was the first time Chrom mentioned any of his parents, and they were anxious to know more about them. They understood it was a sensitive topic when the captain took another direction. "Being her legitimate offspring, she should have been my sister's, but Emm offered her to me as a gift when the Shepherds became an official militia."

"That is one heck of a gift," Robin commented, impressed.

"Yeah," Chrom agreed with a soft chuckle, humble. "She knew it would mean a lot more to me. I was much closer to our father than she was, even though I was very young..." He trailed off hesitantly, unable to decide if he was comfortable enough with his two guests to reveal even the slightest bit of this story. "Ahem, Emm doesn't travel much anyway. Crimson fulfills a much more pertinent duty under my care." He gave the horse one last pat on the neck before grabbing the upper part of the door and closing it back, after what the white steed went back to munching her hay.

"These guys," the prince continued on to the last section of the alley, sporting four boxes on each side, each one sheltering a gigantic creature, "are our workhorses. Be nice to them, they pull our convoys for every big trip we undertake." He passed them to go lean on the door frame and watched the twins, each inspecting a row of horses. They were enormous, tall and strong and imposing, clearly built for the harness rather than the saddle.

"They seem gentle enough," Roxanne noted curiously as the fourth one she approached perked up its ears and raised his head in a friendly greeting, as did the previous ones.

"They are the kindest equines of all," Chrom confirmed, smiling fondly at the indispensable beasts. "Workhorses are usually the most well-tempered breeds."

"Thankfully," Robin cut in with a grin, still amazed by their size. "I wouldn't want to be the one having to deal with something so massive when it goes berserk." Chrom snorted.

"Good point," he agreed with arched brows. "Now come on, you'll have plenty of time to admire them on the road. There are a few installations I have yet to show you."

"Aren't we gonna need horses tomorrow ?" Robin asked, catching up with him. It was more out of curiosity than anything else - neither he nor Roxanne really knew how things were supposed to work out in a trip like the one they were planning.

"I don't think so," was the captain's answer, who seemed rather confident it wouldn't be a problem. "We still have to discuss it over dinner, but I'm fairly certain we can make this trip on foot."

"So you guys always eat together ?" Roxanne inquired, trying to learn their ways as quickly as possible.

"Not always," Chrom specified with a crooked smile. "Everyone has fairly different schedules, so breakfasts and lunches are your business, although you will likely encounter people in the mess hall around certain hours. Except for Lissa and I, everyone tries to re-group for dinner, though. That's why we have a game plan organized each day - which I will show you right about now."

Having arrived in front of the building in question, the prince fiddled briefly with the doorknob, mumbling something about this one needing replacement, before finally getting the door open and inviting in the twins. As per usual, they took their sweet time to admire the scenery. There were two very long tables installed in parallel - they estimated about 20 people could seat around each one - there were windows on the entire wall, similar to the display in the training area, and a fire place at the extremity of the building. On the other side, a large counter almost as wide as the room itself separated the dining room from what the twins assumed to be the kitchen, with all those dishes, utensils, cooking tools and food compartments.

Chrom, however, directed their attention to a cork board lodged tightly on the only window-less wall space next to the counter. Upon further inspection, the new recruits could observe a planning spread over the course of a week; for each day, a pair was associated to kitchen duty, and another to the dishes. Next to it was another piece of parchment, a bit less official-looking, on which a few notes had been scribbled.

"You can write your preferences here, if you have any. Who you'd rather be paired up with, if you prefer cooking or cleaning up, and whatever else you can think of. Different people make the schedules each week - it keeps things fresh -, but everyone generally tries to be fair and take requests in consideration. Not that we'll be giving you much work or ask you to work with someone else until you're comfortable with the system..." The twins eyed each other, sharing a smile and the thought that they could now fully understand what Lissa had meant earlier.

"Are there any... guidelines ? For preparing the meals, I mean." Robin asked, for lack of a better word. Roxanne was still inspecting the sheet, mentally taking notes of the pairs planned for this week, although she doubted the system stayed the same during travel.

"It has to be edible," Chrom answered, his tone void of sarcasm. "And there has to be enough for everyone. That's about it."

"Eh, no wonder you and Lissa avoid it," Robin mumbled, rolling his eyes.

"We can't just leave Emm alone all the time," the blue-haired defended himself with a grin, already leading them out of the building. "And for your information, we do still attend at least half of the Shepherds meals. To tell you the truth, the dynamic we have here when everyone is present is definitely worth the terrible food."

"Ha yeah, you guys are odd bunch for sure," the male tactician countered, counting the whole garrison in his head. Chrom just looked at him with a light frown as he walked, unsure whether he should take it as a compliment or not.

"What's next ?" Roxanne asked enthusiastically, eager to interrupt the slightly awkward silent.

"The barracks," the swordsman said, snapping back into focus. "The heart of our headquarters."

"And what happens there ?" she continued, shooting a glare at Robin the split second she was in Chrom's blind spot.

"Nothing, objectively," he replied with a crooked smile, followed by a snort from Robin that earned him another glare from his sister. "It's where we share our downtime. Nothing extraordinary, per se, but most of what makes us a family happens here."

A few more steps and they were standing in front of the building in question. It was a bit smaller than the mess hall, but had the same shape and pattern; rectangular, one door, many windows. This one, however, was at the very center of the camp, easily accessible from everywhere and perfectly aligned with the castle.

"You built a whole shack to... hang out ?" Robin tried to keep any judgement out of his voice, but still received a fleer from his twin.

"At first, it was gonna be some sort of office," Chrom explained as he pushed the door open, and Roxanne wondered if he was oblivious to Robin's attitude or just purposely ignoring it. "A place where we would receive potential recruits, interview them, that sort of thing. But as it turned out, my recruiting methods didn't exactly coincide with this type of procedure, so I only used it to fill what little paperwork this organization involved at the time. But then Sully and Stahl would come in and keep me company for my last few minutes of work, or Lissa would sit in one the chairs and make noise until I asked her what she wanted, and sometimes Maribelle would come in and keep her company for a while, and Frederick would arrive and asked if all was well... Eventually, we just pushed the desk aside," he pointed at the table in the corner of the room, "brought in a stray table from the park," there was indeed a picnic table sitting more or less in the middle of the room, "a few boxes to sit on," he pointed at each of them around the room, "and then Sully and Kellam's couches, and finally a bookcase, because everyone kept bringing in new books and it was driving Miriel crazy to see them all randomly laying around." Other than that, there were a couple of trash cans at each end of the room, some dried up plants by the windows and on the table, and a couple of empty glasses and abandoned snack wraps.

"It's cozy," Robin commented, this time earning a nudge in the ribs.

"It's not much without anyone in it," Chrom conceded with a sheepish smile. "But you'll get to appreciate it in all its glory eventually, I'm sure." He paused, making his way back to them and motioning for them to exit the room. "But right now, we should get you installed in your rooms. I reckon you'd appreciated some time to get cleaned up and settle down before dinner."

"Thank you," Roxanne nodded before Robin could reply. "This _is_ rather overwhelming."

"We'll be fine," Robin added, wanting to make sure they didn't sound like they couldn't get used to this.

"I don't doubt it," Chrom affirmed as the dorm rooms grew closer. "We'll get you some clothes and accessories starting tomorrow, on the road, and make sure that by the time we're back, you two are used to our little customs as well."

"Sounds like a plan," the female twin approved, getting excited at the mere thought of everything they had to look forward to.

"Here we are," their host came to a halt halfway between the two rooms closest to to other already inhabited ones. "Take the time to get acquainted and make yourself at home, take a bath and a nap if you'd like. People should start gathering in the barracks in about an hour and half, and dinner served in three. I'll see you two somewhere in between."

"Thank you," the twins replied in sync, only turning to face each other when Chrom was out of sight.

* * *

[*]

As always, I would suggest to read this story on A03, for better formatting, ANs &amp; quicker updates


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